Chapter 35: EVA POINT OF VIEW I thought I'd seen the worst prison could throw at me. I was wrong.When that heavy door creaked open and Sara walked in, my stomach dropped like I'd swallowed a brick. She looked exactly like she always did perfect makeup, designer clothes, not a hair out of place. Like she'd just stepped out of a magazine. And there I was, bruised and dirty on the cold floor, wearing a jumpsuit that smelled like cheap detergent and sweat."Well, well, well." Her voice hadn't changed either. Still that fake sweet tone that made my skin crawl. "How the mighty have fallen."I tried to stand up, but everything hurt. My ribs screamed where they'd kicked me yesterday, and my legs felt like they were made of jelly. But I wouldn't let her see me on the ground. I wouldn't give her that."What do you want, Sara?" My voice came out rougher than I meant it to. My throat was still raw from screaming during yesterday's beating.She walked toward me like she was on a catwalk, her hi
Chapter 36: Eva's Point of ViewI couldn't sleep. The floor was too hard and too cold, and my whole body hurt from the beating I got yesterday. Every time I moved, pain shot through me like lightning. The thin blanket they gave me didn't help much it was scratchy and smelled like it hadn't been washed in months. I kept thinking about home, about my soft bed and warm covers. About how different everything was just a few weeks ago.When I finally did fall asleep, I dreamed about my old life. I was sitting in our kitchen, watching my nanny make pancakes on Sunday morning. Dad was reading his newspaper. Everything felt normal. Everything felt right.But good dreams never last in prison."Get up!" A wall of cold water hit my face. I woke up gasping and choking, water going up my nose and into my mouth. My eyes burned as I tried to open them. Through the blur, I saw them standing over me five women, all of them grinning like they were having the best time of their lives."Look who's final
Chapter 37I couldn't stop smiling.Eva's screams still rang in my ears. The way she had begged and pleaded, tears streaming down her face as those girl beat her up, it was better than anything I could have dreamed. Her perfect little world had finally crumbled, and I was here to watch every second of it.The living room felt warmer somehow, cozier. Maybe it was the way the evening sun painted everything gold, or maybe it was just the sweet taste of victory. I stretched out in my favorite velvet chair, running my fingers over the soft fabric. Everything felt right for the first time in forever.Mom stood by the bar cart, humming to herself as she poured our wine. The crystal bottles clinked together, a happy little sound that matched my mood perfectly. She was smiling too that rare, real smile I hardly ever saw anymore."Look at us now," she said, holding out a glass of deep red wine to me. Her eyes sparkled with something fierce and proud. "Finally getting everything we deserve."I to
# Chapter 38Williams (Eva's Dad) point of view I couldn't read the papers on my desk anymore. My eyes were too tired from looking at them for so long. All I could think about was Eva, my daughter, stuck in jail all by herself. I knew she must be scared.My office felt wrong tonight. Too big. Too quiet. The clock on the wall kept making noise. Each tick meant Eva was spending more time in jail for something she didn't do.I looked at her picture on my desk. It showed her at college graduation. She had such a big smile that day. She had so many dreams. Now everything was different."I'm sorry," I said to her picture. My voice was very quiet. "I'm trying to help you. I really am."Someone knocked on my door, making me jump. I wiped my eyes fast and tried to look normal."Come in," I said.Mr. Jensen walked in. He was the private detective I hired to help Eva. He was tall with gray hair. He looked very tired. When I saw his face, I knew he didn't have good news. But I still hoped. I cou
Chapter 39EVA POINT OF VIEW I hate this place. The lights above me keep buzzing, making everything look ugly and pale. It's just another day in prison, but something feels wrong. Really wrong. The air feels different, like right before a storm hits. I can't explain it, but my gut tells me something bad is going to happen.The other inmates are looking at me worse than usual. I catch their eyes sometimes, and they turn away with little smirks on their faces. Their laughs echo through the cell block. They're laughing at me. They're always laughing at me.I wrap my arms around myself, trying to get warm. The thin prison uniform doesn't help much against the cold. Two weeks I've been here, and I still can't get used to it. The concrete walls, the metal bars, the endless noise, it all feels like it's closing in on me sometimes.I stay in my corner, the one spot that feels even a little bit safe. It's not much, just a small space between my bed and the wall, but it's mine. I've learned to
Chapter 40: Eva's Point of ViewI can't breathe. The smoke is everywhere. My chest hurts so bad. It feels like someone is squeezing all the air out of me. The prison is on fire, and I can't see anything through all the smoke. My whole body feels weak, like I just ran for miles.I try to stand up. My legs are shaking really bad. I make it halfway up, then fall. My knees hit the hard floor, and it hurts, but I barely notice. Everything hurts anyway."Get up!" I hear Maria yell somewhere in the smoke. She sounds different now. Not mean anymore. Just scared. Really scared. I've never heard her sound like that before.The smoke keeps getting worse. My lungs burn with every breath. My eyes sting so bad I can barely keep them open. I try to crawl to the door, but I can't even see where it is anymore.Then my vision starts to go dark. You know how people say you see your whole life flash before you die? That's not true. All I can think about is how much it hurts and how scared I am. I don't
Chapter 41: Eva's Point of ViewI looked around the big room. I didn't know how I got here or where I was. The room was really fancy with nice furniture and a big, shiny chandelier hanging from the ceiling. The walls had lots of paintings on them. It was like those rich homes I saw in movies. All of it felt weird to me because everything looks more expensive than the interior of my father's house or Max house. The soft carpet under my feet and the sweet smell of roses in the air made me realize this was real, not just a dream."Why am I here?" I said very quietly to myself. So many questions filled my head, making my heart beat faster and faster. Who brought me to this place? Why did they save me?The only sound was the quiet tick-tock of a clock. Then I heard footsteps coming from the hallway. My heart started beating even faster when the door opened. An older lady came in first, and a young man followed right behind her. When I saw them, I couldn't breathe for a second.The older
Chapter 42: Eva's Point of ViewI couldn't sleep. Not really. You know that feeling when your mind just won't shut up? That's how I felt, sitting on my bed as the sun started to peek through my curtains. My whole body felt heavy, like I was carrying rocks in my pockets, but my brain wouldn't let me rest.Today was the big day. My grandmother Helena was finally going to tell me everything. You'd think that would make me feel better, right? But my stomach was doing flip-flops, and my hands wouldn't stop shaking.I heard footsteps in the hallway - soft ones, like someone trying not to startle a scared animal. That's how everyone seemed to treat me these days. The door opened, and there she was. Helena. My grandmother. Even now, those words felt weird in my mouth.She looked at me with those kind eyes of hers the ones that made me feel like maybe, just maybe, everything would be okay. "Morning, sweetheart," she said, and her voice was warm like a hug. "Sleep okay?"I tried to smile, but
Chapter 100Maximilian’s Point of ViewThe air in the boardroom felt thick and heavy, pressing down on me like an invisible weight. The tension was almost unbearable, crackling in the silence like a storm waiting to break. I sat at the head of the long oak table, my fingers gripping the armrests of the chair tightly, trying to steady myself. Around the table, familiar faces stared back at me, their expressions a mix of doubt and suspicion. These were people I had worked with for years, individuals who once respected my decisions, trusted my leadership. Now, their eyes held something else judgment.I took a deep breath, but it did little to ease the discomfort in my chest. The room seemed colder than usual, the sharp scent of polished wood mingling with the faint aroma of coffee cups left untouched on the table. The faint hum of the air conditioning was the only sound breaking the silence, and even that felt intrusive.“Mr. Graves,” one of the senior board members, Harold Whitman, bega
Chapter 99Max’s Point of ViewThe muffled hum of the city outside my office was a stark contrast to the suffocating silence within. I sat behind my desk, staring at the sprawling view of the skyline, but my mind was consumed by the chaos of the morning.The memory of the reporters, their voices like daggers, still clung to me. Their accusations echoed in my mind, each one sharper than the last. My fists tightened against the cool wood of the desk. No matter how absurd their claims were, they had planted a seed of doubt in the public’s mind, tarnishing everything I’d worked to build.A knock on the door snapped me from my thoughts. “Come in,” I barked, my voice harsher than I intended.My secretary, Maria, stepped inside, her usual composed demeanor faltering. She held a tablet in her hands, her expression tense. “Sir, I thought you should see this.”“What now?” I growled, leaning back in my chair as she approached.Maria placed the tablet on my desk, her fingers trembling slightly. “
Chapter 98Max’s Point of ViewThe flash of cameras hit my eyes the moment I stepped out of my car. The usual buzz of morning traffic was drowned out by the chaotic frenzy of reporters swarming outside the company gates. A sea of microphones and questioning voices surged toward me, their questions sharp and relentless.“Mr. Graves, is it true you and Sara conspired to kill your grandfather?” one voice shouted, cutting through the noise.“Do you have any comments on the evidence emerging that implicates you in the murder?” another chimed in.My jaw clenched, my hand tightening on the strap of my briefcase as I fought to keep my expression neutral. The accusations were absurd, yet the weight of their words struck something deep within me—a mix of anger, disbelief, and the faintest twinge of fear.“Mr. Graves! Is the recent media rise linked to you framing eva as the culprit for your grandfather death?” a third voice demanded, forcing me to pause mid-step.I turned sharply, my glare enou
Chapter 97Eva’s Point of ViewThe soft clink of glass meeting wood was the only sound in my office as I leaned back in my chair, a faint smile playing on my lips. The dim lighting cast a golden hue over the room, reflecting off the crystal decanter on my desk. Beside it sat two half-filled glasses of wine.“Cheers to a small victory,” I said, raising my glass toward Josh, who lounged on the couch across from me.Josh gave a wry grin, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he raised his glass in response. “Small? I’d say this was a significant blow to them.” He took a sip, his gaze fixed on me with a mixture of admiration and curiosity. “You’re playing this game better than I expected, Eva.”I took a slow sip of the rich, crimson wine, letting its warmth spread through me. “It’s not about playing the game, lJosh,” I replied, setting the glass down gently. “It’s about justice. About proving the truth.”Josh arched an eyebrow, leaning forward slightly. “And you think the public turning ag
Chapter 96Sara’s Point of ViewThe silence in the room was deafening, broken only by the soft hum of the air conditioner. My mother paced the floor with the ferocity of a caged lioness, her heels clicking against the hardwood with each sharp step. Her face, usually a mask of icy composure, was twisted in fury, her eyes blazing with unrestrained anger.“I have never,” she hissed, pausing mid-step to glare at the space as if her words could strike down an unseen foe, “been humiliated like that in my entire life.”She spun around, facing me. “Do you know what it feels like, Sara? To be reduced to nothing in front of the entire world? To have everything you’ve worked for trampled on because of someone else’s incompetence?”Her voice rose with each word, cutting through the air like a whip. I flinched but kept my gaze steady, though my heart pounded in my chest.“It’s not my fault,” I muttered, my voice barely above a whisper.“Not your fault?” she repeated, her tone dripping with disbeli
Chapter 95Sara’s Point of ViewThe dim glow of the television filled the room, the sharp voice of the news anchor cutting through the silence like a knife. I sat on the edge of the sofa, my hands clenched tightly in my lap as each damning word echoed in the air around me. Beside me, my mother’s face was a pale mask of fury, her lips pressed into a thin line as her sharp eyes flickered between the screen and Maximilian.He stood by the window, his broad back turned to us, his posture as rigid as the tension in the room. The world outside was still, a stark contrast to the storm raging inside the estate.The anchor’s voice carried on, relentless and unforgiving.“Maximilian Graves, the celebrated CEO, is under fire for allegedly protecting his mistress, Sara Brown, from facing the consequences of her actions. Public outrage continues to grow, with many accusing the duo of conspiring to frame Eva Brown, Maximilian’s estranged wife and Sara's Step-sister, in a bid to strip her of her inh
Chapter 94 Sara’s Point of ViewThe first sound that registered was the shattering of glass. A bottle, hurled by one of the crowd, smashed against the pavement near my feet, sending shards flying. My pulse raced as fear clawed at me, and I instinctively flinched, shielding my face with trembling hands. The jeers and insults continued, a relentless tide of rage that refused to ebb.“Traitors! Murderers!”“You thought you could get away with it?”The words stung like a thousand needles, each one embedding itself deeper into my skin. My mother’s grip on my arm was iron-like, her nails digging in as she tried to keep me upright.“Keep walking,” she hissed through gritted teeth, her voice unsteady. “Don’t give them the satisfaction.”But how could I? The world had turned against us. Every face in the crowd was twisted with contempt, their eyes gleaming with righteous fury. I felt naked under their gaze, exposed and vulnerable in a way I never had been before.Another projectile a crushed
Chapter 93Sara’s Point of ViewThe morning air was thick with tension, as if the universe itself knew what awaited us beyond the front door. I glanced at my mother, her face set in a mask of forced composure. Her sharp features, so similar to mine, gave no hint of the storm brewing within. But I knew her too well. Behind that calm facade was a woman just as shattered as I was.“They’ll be out there,” I murmured, my voice hoarse from a night of restless tears.Mom adjusted her scarf, her movements measured and deliberate. “Let them. We’ve faced worse than a few cameras.”Her words, meant to reassure, felt hollow. We hadn’t faced worse not like this. This wasn’t just scandal; this was public crucifixion.I tightened my grip on the handle of my purse, my knuckles white. “Maybe we should wait. Let this die down.”Mom scoffed, her lips curling into a bitter smile. “Wait for what? For them to get bored? They won’t. Scandals like ours don’t just fade, Sara. They fester.”Her words stung bec
Chapter 92Josh’s Point of ViewThe silence in my office was heavy, broken only by the soft rustle of Eva moving around as she grabbed the first aid kit from the shelf. My face stung, the bruise on my cheekbone throbbing where Max had landed his punch. But the pain didn’t matter. Not when Eva was standing here, her presence like a soothing balm on my frayed nerves.“Sit,” she commanded, her voice firm but gentle. She pulled a chair closer to me, her eyes scanning my face for injuries.I obeyed, leaning back as she opened the kit and pulled out some antiseptic. Her touch was careful, deliberate, as she dabbed a cotton ball against the cut near my eyebrow.“You didn’t have to step in like that,” I said, my voice low.Her hands paused for a fraction of a second before resuming. “Yes, I did. Max had no right to treat you or anyone like that.”My jaw tightened at the mention of his name. “He doesn’t deserve you, Eva. Not now, not ever.”She sighed, her expression softening as she focused o